So Be It
by bii-kun
Summary: A contemplative evening for Ryoko. [MyobixRyoko]


So Be It

Alichino is © of Kouyu Shurei

Pairings: Ryoko+Myobi (I suppose, but that's obvious.)

* * *

Ryoko fanned himself lazily. The air was stifling but for a small whisper of a breeze teasing chimes hung in a distant window. The moon seemed suspended in the velvety clouds above, making the roofs far below glow with an eerie luminosity.

A rustle sounded in the deep grass at his feet. An owl had alighted on a gnarled branch jutting from an angle in the ground, feathers shimmering in the moonlight. It hooted once, twice, seeming to bow to the man.

"Good evening, Myobi."

The owl blinked, clicking its beak.

"Care to show yourself, girl? It's about time you came home. What've you been doing all these hours?"

The bird twittered, feathers ruffling, flickering and spreading, stretching out to form slender little fingers, endless locks of ivory hair, gorgeous ripples of fabric and finery. Its pale eyes blossomed with seething scarlet, cruel beak melting into a small red mouth.

The beautiful beast had returned.

"Oh, I've just been taking care of… this and that." A silky voice had replaced the harsh chirps of a night fowl. "You're looking so well, my _dear_ Ryoko…" Stepping forward, and resting elegantly on one knee, she kissed his hand.

Ryoko rested his palm on her cold cheek, to which she cooed softly. He turned his hand to toy with her snowy hair. It drifted around his fingers, as light as cobwebs.

The night was so still. It always seemed to when the Alichino showed themselves, as if it was holding its breath, waiting for them to pass by. Only then were you safe, although this was not an assurance.

Myobi lifted her head from resting on his knee, her gaze falling on a tiny, brilliant light nestling between the blades of grass at her feet. Another one appeared beside it, then another, each of them slowly shifting in and out of the darkness.

Ryoko's hand twitched slightly. His mind, as always, hissed _'Alichino—"_

Myobi's lips curled slightly at the corner. "No, no they aren't." She attempted to catch one in her cupped hands. "They're just fireflies." Her fingers wrapped around one, only for it to be gone when she opened them. She tried again, giving a small snarl when her palm was once more empty.

Ryoko snorted with laughter, to which she pouted, throwing herself onto the ground and resting her head on her arms.

Nothing could be heard but the distant chirruping of crickets. A lantern swung in the cool breeze as it picked up, making the shadows sway hypnotically.

Myobi lay there, quite still, listening to the faint chattering of the gloom, with all its creatures crawling secretly around the garden. A cat appeared over a high stone wall, leaping down into the shadows a few feet away from her.

Ryoko watched the girl, as the cat emerged, stalking through the long grass. Her eyes were closed, her face restful. A draft lifted the gauzy material of her dress as if it were made of air itself.

The cat stopped to sniff at her as it passed.

Myobi's eyes snapped open, and with a hiss, swiped at the animal with claw-like nails. The cat screeched, spitting blood, and skittered away into the bushes.

"Now now now." tutted Ryoko, picking Myobi up as easily as a rag doll. "Look, see what you did." With a thumb he wiped a few fine black specks of blood from her cheek. She sighed, and wound her long fingers in his wiry gold hair. "It is my duty, Ryoko, to keep you from those sordid, flea-bitten distractions you call 'pets'."

Ryoko gave a chuckle. "What are _you_, then?"

Myobi's red eyes flashed, her mouth curled, but this gave way to a charming, if not twisted, smile. "I am forever your loyal _servant_, master Ryoko."

The man smiled, and placed his lips on her cold forehead. "And I you. Now, off to bed. I will be in soon."

With that, Myobi's ivory face dissolved into silver, and her night owl form fluttered out of his arms and into an open window at the top of the house.

Ryoko stood in silence, gazing up into the jutting shadows of the rooftops. For a moment, he fancied a pair of red eyes leering back at him from within gloom of the house, but when he looked again they had vanished.

Ryoko's body relaxed, for it had become tense without his noticing. He sighed.

His heart felt heavy with the fear that Myobi put into him, the desire to up and run away, be it penniless or without a name, never to return.

But…

…the skin on his face still wore the strange scent of Myobi's hair, of poppies, an almost sickly sweetness mixed with something more obscure, almost…metallic.

No matter where he tried to run or hide, the beautiful beast would be forever on his mind.

And that's just how she wanted it.

Ryoko let the flecks of dry blood crumble from his fingers.

"So be it."

* * *

Hope you all liked it. Myobi is my favourite character, her mind-set reminds me of me. Nyah. X3 


End file.
